Life gives us every type of moment. There are moments to feel cheerful and then there are not so happy moments. But there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, experiencing both is essential to lead a gratifying life. Humans have an innate capability to deal with adversities. It is like a secret weapon that all of us possess. It helps us adapt to circumstances, no matter how harsh they are.
Resilience is the name of this secret weapon. It is what helps us bounce back from even the most challenging scenarios. Resilience is imbued in every human. We just need to be more aware of it. No one of us likes to get bogged down by external circumstances. So, to live a satisfying life, it is critical to develop resilience.
In this post, we will explore the different ways to build resilience so that no matter what life throws at us, we can counter it to the best of our abilities.
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What Are the 7 C’s to Build Resilience?
The 7Cs of resilience are a set of guiding factors that help with building this important ability. Let’s explore them in greater detail.
1. Competence
Competence refers to having a mindset where you aren’t afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone. For example, in a professional setting, you are courageous to take on or explore challenging tasks that require you to exert yourself more mentally. Competence helps you fearlessly tackle life’s challenges. You can cultivate competence by learning new skills, and hobbies, or seeking new opportunities through training or education.
2. Confidence
Confidence means being sure of your ability to achieve a desirable outcome. Confident people are not afraid of failure. They view them as a stepping stone on the path to achieving success. Confidence enables you to believe in your abilities and trust yourself to accomplish what you want. You can build this trait by setting small but realistic goals for yourself and celebrating your achievements, no matter how small or big they are.
3. Connection
Resilient people have a strong support network. They surround themselves with a group of supportive people. This not only helps them in times of adversity but also enriches their mind with the advice and viewpoints of their well-wishers. They can thus implement the advice to navigate challenging circumstances.
4. Character
Our character guides our decisions in life. Resilient people have strong character. Thus, they give more value to principles like perseverance, honesty, and empathy. To develop a strong character, be humble and open to new opinions and views. Practice self-discipline and fill your mind with good thoughts. Take your life’s responsibility in your hands. It will make you more accountable for your decisions.
5. Contribution
There is no better way to lead a fulfilling life than by positively impacting another person’s life. Contribution means volunteering or working as a social worker to enrich the lives of others. It can also be something as simple as helping a friend, acquaintance, or family member when they need it. This, in turn, fills you up with a sense of motivation that is so important to living a rewarding life.
6. Coping
Developing coping mechanisms is key to nurturing resilience. If there’s one thing that you can be sure of, it’s that you will encounter challenges. However, how you cope with them makes all the difference. Coping strategies like mindfulness, engaging in your hobbies, exercising, and journaling out your thoughts and feelings help you make sense of the situation. They boost your mood, and you can see things with greater clarity.
7. Control
If there’s one thing that robs you of living a fulfilling life, it’s trying to control everything. While there are many aspects of your life that you can control, there are also many you cannot. Resilient individuals are aware of this. So, they focus their energies on areas of their lives under their control. This enables them to enhance those aspects which positively influence the rest of their life.
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How to Build Resilience?
Life’s struggles can take even the strongest person by surprise. If the emotional pain that comes with them isn’t properly processed, it can negatively influence our lives. Here are 4 science-backed techniques to build resilience.
1. Expressive Writing
Events, both good and bad, come and go. However, as humans, our minds give more importance to the memories of the bad event than the good one. It constantly relives the event even after it has long passed. This hinders us from moving forward in life. Expressive writing is a tool that can rescue you from this rumination.
Simply take a paper and write whatever comes to your mind for 20 minutes. There are no rules other than fully exploring the traumatic event. This forces you to look at it from all angles, the good and the bad. Often, such events have important life lessons hidden in them. Not only will this activity help you feel happier, but also enable you to gain insights into an aspect of your life. We advise engaging in this activity for at least 4 days.
2. Reframe the Event
Reframing the meaning you give to an event helps you build resilience in tough times. For example, someone may think about what the recent pandemic prevented them from doing. This may mean not being able to meet friends or going outside. But you can also reframe this in a positive way. Maybe the pandemic gave you loads of time by yourself, which helps you discover new hobbies or practice new skills. Reframing the event, along with practicing gratitude for what you do have in your life, helps you build a highly resilient mindset.
3. Expose Yourself to What Scares You
Every one of us has certain fears that we are too afraid to face. But these can get in the way of living a fulfilling life. Resilient people are fearless. They know that unless they face what scares them, it will continue to control them. What we would like you to do is expose yourself a little to something that you are afraid of.
For example, if you have a fear of talking to huge audiences, try to speak more in meetings. Maybe you can speak to an audience of your family and friends to begin with. These are small things, but they will help you face your original fear. Over time, you’ll find that the thing you were so afraid of wasn’t so scary after all.
4. Meditate to Center Yourself in the Present Moment
Most of the things that bother us are related to our past or the future. Constantly thinking about them hinders us from living our lives in the present moment, which is all that we have. Meditation helps you become still, center yourself, and focus on the present moment. When you are calmer inside, you are less likely to be swayed by outside events. You become less reactive to other people and situations and are better positioned to deal with negative emotions and thoughts when they arise.
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Wrapping Up
Building resiliency helps you deal with every type of life’s struggles. Not only that, but it also primes you to tackle future challenges effectively. Resilient people have a growth mindset that helps them lead more fulfilling lives. Use this blog as a guide to build this crucial ability that will help you thrive in life even in the midst of adversities and challenges.
